Yankees stay hot, pitch combined 1-hitter to blank Tigers

Luis Severino combined with two relievers on a one-hitter to continue New York’s run of outstanding starting pitching performances as the Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers, 3-0, on Saturday.

Aaron Judge hit his MLB-best 21st homer on the first pitch in the bottom of the first inning. The Yankees won their fifth straight and for the ninth time in 11 games since their only three-game losing streak this year.

Anthony Rizzo also went deep and Josh Donaldson lifted a sacrifice fly for the Yankees, who have outscored opponents 33-3 in their winning streak.

After Jameson Taillon retired the first 21 hitters Thursday night against the Los Angeles Angels and Gerrit Cole followed by setting down the first 20 batters Friday night against the Tigers, the suspense ended early for Severino, and it ended by mere inches.

Miguel Cabrera’s 3,033rd career hit opened the second after Severino (4-1) needed just 12 pitches in the first.

“It was a really good pitch and Cabrera is Miguel Cabrera,” Severino said. “It was hit pretty hard.”

Cabrera singled when his sharp 109.6 mph liner glanced off the top of shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s glove and into left field for the slugger’s fifth career hit off Severino. It was the only ball the Tigers hit over 100 mph.

“It was tough,” Kiner-Falefa said. “If I didn’t move out of that, it would have hit me in the face, probably. It was a tough play. I moved to my left a little bit, and it took off like a slider right in my face. At that point, I was kind of just trying to save my face. I really wanted to come up with it, but it took a crazy turn.”

Severino struck out 10 in seven innings. His only walk came to Derek Hill in the third, and he was thrown out trying to steal second during an at-bat to Jonathan Schoop — who ended Cole’s perfect game.

Detroit was blanked for the seventh time this year, two shy of its total from last season. The Tigers were also held to one hit for the second time this season. On May 8, Jake Odorizzi combined with two relievers on a one-hitter in Houston against the Tigers, whose only hit in that game was a double by Schoop in the second inning.

“He was very dominant,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said. “He got us to chase when he needed it. We didn’t hit a ton of balls hard. He pitched a great game.”

Following Hill’s walk, Severino retired the final 13 hitters. He struck out the side in the sixth, getting the final out after Willi Castro pulled a ball foul to right field, and ended his outing by fanning Cabrera for the second time with his slider.

Severino posted his 11th career double-digit strikeout game and first since also getting 10 against Detroit on Aug. 31, 2018. Severino’s outing marked the ninth straight time a Yankee starter pitched at least six innings, their longest since also doing it in nine straight starts May 18-27, 2016. It also was the MLB-best 13th time a New York starter finished at least seven innings, one ahead of San Diego.

“It’s like a rewind of the day before,” Severino said of New York’s dominant starting pitching.

Michael King breezed through the eighth. Clay Holmes notched his eighth save, extending his career-high scoreless streak to 26 innings.

“It’s been special to watch them go at it,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We talk about passing the baton in the lineup, well, they’re doing it from the starting staff every day we’re getting that kind of outing.”

It was New York’s 62nd one-hitter of at least nine innings. The last was April 13, 2019, when CC Sabathia allowed a third-inning single and combined with three relievers against the Chicago White Sox.

Detroit rookie Beau Brieske (0-5) allowed two runs on three hits in six innings.

Reporting by Associated Press.